Article-dispensing device.



A. D. THEODORE.

ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I5. I9I8.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

awe/whoa ANOSTOPULO D. THEODORE, OF EUNICE, LOUISIANA.

ARTICLE-DISPENSING DEVICE.

Application filed June 15, 1918; Serial No. 240,268.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANos'roPULo D. THEO- DORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eunice, in the parish of St. Landry and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Article-Dispensing Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved article dispensing device, and has for its primary object to provide simple and reliable means for singly delivering a single straw, match or like article from a hopper or container.

It is another and more particular object of the invention to rovide a device for the above purpose having a container of inverted, triangular-shaped form, a plunger longitudinally movable in the apex of the container, the end wall of the container having an opening therein through which the article is expelled in the movement of the plunger in one direction, and means for returning the plunger to it's normal position.

It is another general object of my invention to provide a dispensing device of the above character, preferably having transparent side walls, and means adjustable upon the top of the container for holding or clamping a display card, glass bottle or other article.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the improved com-.

bination, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, subsequently claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and where m:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line- 33 of Fig. 2; and v Fig. 4 is a detail plan View.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the downwardly converging, transparent walls of a substantially triangular-shaped receptacle or container. end walls 6 and 7 to which said side walls are suitably secured are formed with suitable ornamental supporting 7 feet 8. The end wall 7 has an opening 9 formed there- 22 are fixed, and u on said bolts the The The other end wall 6 of the container is likewise provided with an opening 11 with which the bore of a guide sleeve 12, fixed to said end Wall coincides. Above this gulde sleeve an arm 13 is fixed in the end wall 6 and extends horizontally therefrom, and in the end of this arm an'operating lever 14 is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends as shown at 15. The lower end of this lever is pivotally connected tdthe outer end of a plunger rod 16, which is slidable through the guide sleeve 12. A coil spring 17 is arranged upon'the plunger rod within the guide sleeve and bears at one of its ends against an internal shoulder 18 on said sleeve and at its other end against an annudlgar shoulder 19 formed on the plunger ro When straws or other similar articles are placed within the container, they gravitate downwardly upon the sidewalls 5 into the apex thereof, so that a single one of the straws will find lodgment in the bottom of the container and in line with the openings 9 and 11 formed in the end walls thereof. When it is desired to dispense a straw, the upper end of the operating lever is moved laterally in an outward-direction and the plunger rod thereby forced inwardly against the action of the spring 17. The inner end of the plunger rod, moving through the opening 11, engages the end of the straw and forces the same longitudinally outwardly through theopening 9 in the other end wall of the container. Upon the release of the lever, the spring 17 immediatelv acts to return the plunger rod to its normal position.

20 designates the removable to for the container, which is provided on 1ts longitudinal edges with inwardly inclined flanges 21 for sliding engagement with the outer face of the respective side walls 5. In the container top or cover, spaced pairs of bolts ing nuts 23 are t readed. V

24 designates article holding standards, which may be of any desired ornamental form, and each of these standards is provided at its lower end with an angular arm 25 havin clampa slot 26 therein opening uponv Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 2%, 1918.

the end 0 the arm. These slots are adapted to receive the upstanding bolts 22 in the top. The standards in each pair maybe arranged in opposed parallel relation to each other and a display card, such as indicated at G,

then arranged between said standards. The standards are finally moved inwardly against the opposite sides of the card, and

the nuts 23 adjusted'into clamping engagebe dispensed. Various other elements of thement with the angular arms 25 so as to securely clamp the standards against relative movement and hold. the card in position, as

' seen in Fig. 2. Y The standards 24 can also be the construction, manner of use and several advantages of the invention will be clearly and fully understood. It will be seen that the devi "e is relatively simple, positive and reliable in its operation, and can also be manufactured at comparatively small cost. The container can, of course, be made in various sizes as may be determined in accordance with the length of the articles to device above referred to are likewise susceptible of considerable modification and it is,

embodiment of the device, it is nevertheless susceptible of considerable variation and I,

therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim An article dispensing device including a container having convergently disposed side walls and end walls to which said side walls are fixed at their oppositeends, each of said end walls having an opening therein, a plunger at all times engaged in one of said openings, a guide for the plunger fixed to one end wall, a spring coacting with the guide and the plunger and urgin the latter to its normal. position, an arm ed to the container Wall and a manually operable lever pivoted upon the arm and operatively connected to said plunger to move the same inwardly through the opening against the action of said spring and pro ect one of the articles from the container through the opening in the other end wall thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afli-X my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANOSTOPULO D. THEODORE. 

